Waterfall Hero Hikes: Sandstone Falls (New River)

Sandstone Falls is a 15 to 20-foot high, 1500-foot wide waterfall on New River in Raleigh and Summers County. The waterfall is located in New River Gorge National River.

Hike Length: 0.4 miles
Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Location: New River Gorge National River
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes, but must be on a ≤ 6-foot leash
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The river current is very strong here, don't try to go out in the river without a PFD.
Trailhead GPS: 37.75926,-80.90550
Waterfall GPS: 37.75676,-80.90717

Directions:

From Beckley, head east on I-64 for about 15 miles and take exit 139 towards Hinton. Turn left on WV-20 and drive 10.3 miles to Hinton. Turn right to stay on WV-20 and cross New River on a bridge. Across the bridge, turn right on New River Road and drive 8.3 miles to the Sandstone Falls parking area on the right.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the parking area, pick up the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk, which crosses onto two islands in river. On the first, are views of the Lower Falls, the smaller northern section of the falls.

The boardwalk ends at an overlook on the second island with a view of the main falls.

Being 1500 feet wide, there's a lot of waterfall to see. Obvious paths lead from the boardwalk to other spots on the second island for closer views of the waterfall.